The digital recording standard BS 8495 is just over a year old. But are you compliant yet? Where digital images are used for prosecution, it's absolutely vital that security managers consider whether their CCTV systems comply. In a nutshell, the standard ensures evidential quality footage is gathered by setting the industry standard for:

• Recorded images
• Audit trails
• Time and date integrity
• Storage
• Image exporting and replay

The landmark British Standard is integral to the successful prosecution of criminals when using CCTV images as evidence. BS 8495 offers recommendations for the selection, specification, installation and operation of digital CCTV recording systems that generates images which may be used in a Court of Law. Developed from the BSIA's [British Security Industry Association] Code of Practice for Digital Recording Systems, these high standards are imperative to ensure the effective use of surveillance systems, both in the public and private sectors.

BS 8495 ensures that a digital recording system successfully gathers evidential quality video evidence, resulting in more successful prosecutions. The aim is to give the public and criminal justice system the same confidence in digital recording systems they previously held in VHS systems. The BSIA developed the standard to assist a wide range of audiences, from digital CCTV end users, security consultants and installers as well as insurance companies and police authorities.

Off the shelf solutions often miss out elements of the standard and security managers should be aware that buying a solution doesn't necessarily ensure compliance. Any system that does not adhere to British Standard BS 8495 and renders poor quality footage could mean those images cannot be used in an attempted criminal conviction, leading to a lack of confidence in the worth of CCTV. BS 8495 is one of the most important independent benchmarks the industry has seen in the past decade and therefore deserves the attention and strict adherence of security managers. In the long-term, BS 8495 will assist in making CCTV an effective deterrent for criminals. As more convictions are successful because of evidential quality footage, criminals will think twice before committing a crime in an area where CCTV is in operation.